The ad was posted on the campaign's website on Friday and, according to Gingrich spokesman R.C. Hammond, will begin airing next week in Alabama and Mississippi, states that hold primary contests on March 13.FULL POST

Nashville, Tennessee (CNN) – Newt Gingrich zeroed in on Rick Santorum as a "big-labor Republican" Monday, and said the GOP presidential race is "going to redefine itself again" one week before crucial contests on Super Tuesday.

The longtime Georgia congressman praised his opponent's successful early state strategy but predicted on February 28 Santorum will lose to Mitt Romney in Arizona and Michigan, two states Gingrich ceded so he could focus on March 6 primaries that include his home state and Tennessee, where he campaigned Monday.FULL POST

(CNN) – Just over a week before polls open in Tennessee, a poll released Monday showed former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania well ahead among registered voters likely to vote in the state's Super Tuesday primary.

The state has the third most delegates of the 10 states to vote next Tuesday, and Santorum edged out former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney 33% to 17%, a 16-point gap in the Vanderbilt Poll.FULL POST

(CNN) - Rick Santorum is running ahead of his rivals in Tennessee, a stronghold of evangelical Christians that votes on March 6, Super Tuesday.

Thirty four percent of likely Republican primary voters said they were backing Santorum, while 27% named Mitt Romney, 16% backed Newt Gingrich and 13% picked Ron Paul. The poll was taken by American Research Group February 8-9, when voters would have known about Santorum's sweep of voting contests in Missouri, Minnesota and Colorado.FULL POST

Dallas (CNN) - For the second year in a row, the Tennessee Republican Party has landed a potential presidential candidate to headline its biggest fundraising dinner of the year.

CNN has learned that Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, who could be just days away from announcing a Republican presidential bid, will keynote the party's Statesmen's Dinner in Nashville on July 15.FULL POST

(CNN) – Bill Haslam, the mayor of Knoxville and considered a moderate Republican, easily won the Tennessee GOP primary for governor Thursday, the Tennessee Department of State's website reported.

With all of the state's precincts reporting Haslam had 47.5 percent of the vote as he defeated Congressman Zach Wamp and Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey.

Halsam, who helped fund some of his own campaign, will now face Mike McWherter, a Democratic businessman and son of a former governor. The race is to succeed Gov. Phil Bredesen, a Democrat, who is prevented by term limits from running for a third term. Political handicappers think Republicans have a good shot at winning back the governor's office.